April 15, 2005 – Shirley Luna

SFA cheerleaders win again

The Cheerleading Squad of Stephen F. Austin State University won its third straight national cheerleading championship on April 8 at the National Cheerleading Association competition held at Daytona Beach, Fla. The SFA team also claimed the top three partner-stunt awards at the meet, including first-place honors for SFA students Matt Vanover, a senior from Newton, Kan., and Veronica Gomez, Pasadena junior. Michael May, Houston senior, and April Weaver, Owasso, Okla., freshman, claimed second place. Third-place winners were Garrin Gosnell, a sophomore from Homosassa, Fla., and Melanie Gomez, Pasadena junior. Pictured from left, front, are Kali Seitzer, Misty Brown, Trisha O’Connor, Veronica Gomez, Melanie Gomez, Emily Jones, Jamie Lollar, Meghan O’Connor, April Weaver, Shawna Harding, back row, Jacob Shew, Ryan Cash, Tyler Bell, Cory Collins, Jerrod Vanover, Matt Vanover, Garrin Gosnell, Michael May, Dustin Walston, Chris Tedder, Gary Ford, Justin Kelley, Wade Burgess and Chris Duvall. More than 2,000 cheerleaders competed at the event, including the 25 member co-ed team, SFA's Pom Squad, finishing fifth in the nation in the dance division, and the All-Girl Cheerleading Squad, which finished ninth. The SFA cheer and pom squads have earned 15 national championships in dance, cheer and partner-stunt competitions in the past 11 years.